More attractive, sylvan-based advertising for the Austin Seven

[Tony Griffiths]

Interesting that this shows the headlamps in the forward position. Very few restored cars from the period (late '26 and early '27) have the lamps forward; most have been "retrofitted" to scuttle lamps. 

Apparently a kit was supplied by The Austin Motor Co. to mount the lamps back on the scuttle after a police force expressed concerns about the new position not showing the width of the car correctly.

I wonder what the uptake was for the Longbridge modification kit at the time or whether the cars were so adapted later in their lives.....

Indeed - quote from The Book: "Between September 1926 and January 1927 the factory fitted headlamps next to the radiator, but due to the uncertainty about legality they went back to the scuttle mounting until 1928." It was at this time (the change to Lucas R515 headlamps) that the factory experimented with moving the headlamps forward onto the front wings. Around 2000 cars were produced in this form with R40M headlamps, over the winter of 1927/28 from car numbers A3-4572 to A3-6754 before the headlamps reverted to their former position when their legality was questioned."
Of course, some boy-racers of the time went for the 4-headlamp look.